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2 Sheets-Sheet 1. www C. B. STERLING.

ELBGTRIG BELL. No. 552,933. Patented Ja,11.`141896 w/rNEs'sEs.-

HODUTKQWASHINGYOND C (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. G. B. STERLING.

ELEGTRIG BELL.

PtentedlJan. 14, 1896. Y

Wl T11/ESSE S @j ifa/nm.

W HMM/Er ANDREW BASRAHAM, PHOTO-uml).'wAsHmGlm4 O C UNITED STATES PATENTOrmes.

OIL'XRLES B. STERLING, OF NEIV YORK, Y., ASSIGNOR TO TIIE DEIVEY.ELECTRIC SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC BELL..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,933, dated anuary14, 1896. Application filed September 3, 1895. Serial No. 561,278. lNomodel.)

To CLZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES B. STERLING, of New York, in the county ofNew York and State of New York, have invented new and usefulImprovement-s in Electric Bells, of which the following, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

My invention relates to electric bells or gongs for signaling and otherpurposes, and particularly for use on'electric street-cars, and theobject of my invention is to provide a device that will be simple anddurable and that will operate effectively.

To this end my invention consists in the combination with a solenoid andthe bellhammer, of a core for the solenoid, a rotary brake engaging thecore, a circuit maker and breaker connected to said core and movablevertically, stationary contacts insulated from each other to engage thecircuit-maker, and guides for the circuit maker and breaker; and myinvention consists also in the combination with a solenoid, the core andthe gong, of a circuit maker and breaker connected to said core andmovable therewith longltudt nally, said circuit maker and breakerconsisting of a square rod, or rod having different diameters or widths,stationary contacts insulated from each other to engage the circuitmaker, a pin projecting from one side of the said circuit maker Aandbreaker, and irregular guides for the pin towork in, to rotate the saidrod to cause it to make contact with the stationary contacts at theproper time; and my invention consist-s in certain other combinations ofparts hereinafter described, and specically set forth in the claims.

In the drawings hereto annexed and forining'a part of thisspecification, Figure l is a front side elevation of the working partsof Athe bell together with 'a' portion of the gong shown in section.Fig. Zis an elevation oi' the same taken on line 2 2, looking from rightto left. Fig. 3 is another front side elevation of the working parts ofmy improved signaling device similar to that shown in Fig. l, but withmy preferred form of circuit-controlling devices connected thereto. Fig.#i is a seetional view taken on line a: a: of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken on line y y of Fig.

Referring speciically to the drawings, A indicates the bell or gong, andB is the case or the base of the case, the cover thereof being uremoved. In the top of the case is an opening a for the purpose ofallowing the bell hamd mer or core towork vertically therethrough tostrike the gong. This opening is covered by the rim of the gong which isbut a short distance therefrom. As will be seenin the drawings, all theinner parts are mounted within and upon the case B.

Referring more particularly to Figs. l and 2 of the drawings, belonT thesolenoid O is a vertically-movable circuit maker and breaker. Thiscircuit maker and breaker consists of a wec'lge-shaped piece c securedto but insulated from a horizontal plate d above it by a strip ot' libersecured between the two parts c and d. The ends of the plate d areprovided with narrow extensions df CZ', which are adapted to work inslots or guides D D. r)Che guides are formed by two narrow parallelprojections c c, extending fromthe inner side of the back of the case,and strips c' e mounted thereon but separated therefrom at each end toform the slots in which the extensions d d work.

From the center and upper side of the pla-te d extends vertically aspindle f. This spindle is secured inthe lower end of the core C of thesolenoid C.

Below the circuitbreaker, upon each side of the wedge or Contact C, is acontact c', mounted upon a block E, of insulating material, as liber,and between which contacts the wedge c lies when in its lowest positionto close the circuit through the coil or solenoid C. The contacts c' c'are angular shaped and somewhat ilexible so that good contact will bemade between them by the wedge c.

7L 7L are the supply or leading-in wires,which are connected to screws7L' 7a.', mounted on a block of insulating material within and on theright-hand side of the case. From the uppermost screw the circuit leadsto and through'the coil C, thence to one of the contacts c', and fromthe other contact c to the lowest screw h. For the sake of conveniencein connecting the coil with the contact c' a IDO ' breaker to theopposite contact c', and fromV third binding-screw 7i, between theothers, unites the connections from the said parts, as shown in Fig. l.

Angular springs 'i vi, formed of sheet metal, are secured tothe ends ofthe block E, and bear with their free ends against the ends of theextensions d' d in such a manner that when the circuit-breakeris drawnupward'by the core to break the circuit and above the springs z' yL' thebreaker will be retarded sonicwhat in. its Vdownward movement; but theweight of the core forces the circuit-breaker below the ends of the said`springs or the angles therein.

The operation is as follows: XVhen the sup- -plycireuit.is closed by akey or push-button,

(not shownin the drawings,) the electric current flows from the sourceto the upper one of the binding screws 71.', thence through the coil Cto the left-hand contact c', thence through the wedge c of the circuitmaker and the latter contact to the lower binding-.screw h/ andsupplyfconductor 7L, thus completing the circui t. The iow of thecurrent through this path causes the coil C to be energized and the coreC' to be raised or drawn upward within the solenoid to force the hammera', the upper end of the core, upward against the gong A, thus` soundingthe bell. When the core is raised, the wedge c is lifted'above andseparated from the contacts c c and also above the angles or free endsof the springs i i, thus breaking' the circuit through the coil andallowing the core and spindle to drop and again complete the circuitthrough the 'coil as before, when the operation is repeated, andcontinues to be repeated as long as the key or push-button in thecircuit (not shown in the drawings) remains closed. In order to stillmore retard the movement of the core C or to cause it to operate slowly,l may provide the core with a rotary brake. This brake consists of awheel F, having a notched periphery resembling saw-teeth pivoted to abracket F', mounted on the case, a weighted detent G pivotedintermediate its length engaging the periphery, anda pivoted tongue H,mounted on the lower end of the core and supported by a spring I, saidtongue being adapted to engage with pins f project-y ing from one sideof the wheel. The teeth on the wheel and the end of the tongue H may beso shaped that the wheel will be turned in one direction only. Theweight on the detent is made adj ustable thereon to increase thefriction. Then the core is drawn upward, the tongue H slips by one ofthe pins, then returns to ahorizontal position by means of the spring I,so that when it descends it strikes the pin and is retarded somewhat inAits movement depending upon the pressure of the detcnt G upon the wheel.This device is illustrated in all of the igures.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 3, 4, and 5 of the drawings, itwill be noticed that the circuit makin g and breaking device shown Ywiththem, as clearly shown in Fig. et.

differs somewhat from that above described. The spindle f, secured tothe lower end or' the core is square or irregularly shaped incross-section and not round and is provided with an arm or pin 7i; projecting from one side horizontally. In other words,V the spindlehas twowidths or diameters s and s. (See Fig. 4.) By means of this pin and anirregular slot or guide in a plate J mounted on the base or case, thecore and spindle is rotated slightly during both its ascent and descent.The spindle is oscillated first to oneV side and then to the other. Theslot has two branches or paths, a right and left. In Fig. 3 the core.spindle and pin are shown in their lowest position. When the core isdrawn upward the pin follows the right-hand path of the slot, which isstraight and vertical fora distance and then turns to the left andenters the lefthand path, which is straight at its upper end and curvednear its lower end turning to the. right into the right-hand path. Theshuttleshaped piece of the plate J lying between the two paths is heldsupported in place rigidly by a pair of suitable yokes Z l.

c c' are the insulated stationary electric contacts arranged on oppositesides of the spindle f, so that the circuit through the coil will becompleted between them when the spindle is turned so that it comes incontaci This is also the position of the spindle and pin i.: when theyare in their lowest position, as shown in Fig. 3. The circuit beingclosed, the core, spindle and pin will rascend vertically withoutturning until it has nearly reached its highest point-that is, contactwith the gong A. Just before this point is reached` the spindle isturned on its axis by the pin and curved slot, so that the circuit isbroken between the contacts c c. The spindle being square, it will notbridge the distance between the contacts when the pin is moving in theleft-hand branch of the slot. As soon as the gong is struck the coredescends and the circuit remains broken until the pin is again forced tothe right into the right-hand path, when the circuit is again closed asbefore, and the operation repeated.

Having described my invention, what l claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, isfl. The combination with the gong, the solenoid andthe vertically movable core in the solenoid, of a circuit maker andbreaker connected to the lower end of said core, stationary contactsinsulated from each other to engage the circuit maker and breaker,guides for the circuit maker and breaker, electrical connections betweenthe supply conductors and the contact-s, and arotary break engaging thecore, as set forth.

'2. The combination with the gong, the solenoid and the verticallymovable core in the solenoid, of a circuit maker and breaker connectedto the lower end of said core, stationary contacts insulated from eachother to en- IOO gage the circuit maker and breaker, guides for thecircuit maker and breaker, electrical connections between the supplyconductors andthe contacts, a Wheel, a lever engaging the periphery anda tongue pivoted on the lower end of the core and provided with aspring, said tongue being adapted to engage the Wheel, as and for thepurpose described.

3. The combination With the gong, the solenoid and the verticallymovable core in the solenoid, of a circuit maker and breaker connectedto the lower end of said core, stationary contacts insulated from eachother to engage the circuit maker and breaker, guides for the circuitmaker and breaker, electrical connections between the supply conductorsand the contacts, a wheel having teeth in its periphery, a detentengaging the teeth and provided with an adjustable Weight, a series ofpins on one side of the wheel, a pivoted tongue on the lower end of thecore to engage the pins, and a spring to support the tongue, as setforth.

4:. The combination with the gong, the solenoid and the verticallymovable core in the solenoid, of a circuit maker and breaker secured tothe lower end of said core and movable thereWitl1,sa-id circuit makerand breaker consisting of a straight rod having ditferent Widths,stationary contacts insulated from each other to engage the circuitmaker, a pin projecting from one side of the said rod, and irregularguides for the pin to Work in, to oscillate the said rod to cause it toopen and close the circuit between the stationary contacts, as set forth5. The combination with the gong, the solenoid and the verticallymovable core in the solenoid, of a circuit maker and breaker secured. tothe lower end of said core and movable therewith said circuit maker andbreaker consisting of a straight square rod in line with the core,stationary contacts insulated from each other and on opposite sides ofthe rod to engage the rod, a pin projecting from one side of the saidrod, and irregular guides for the pin to move in, to oscillate the saidrod to cause it to alternately make and break contact with thestationary contacts, as set forth.

6. The combination with the gong, the solenoid and the verticallymovable core in the solenoid, of a circuit maker and breaker secured tothe lower endV of said core and movable therewith, said circuit makerand breaker consisting of a straightsquare rod, stationary contactsinsulated from each other and on opposite sides of the rod to engage thesides of the rod, a pin on one side of the rod, and a plate mounted onthe base parallel with the rod, and having an irregular slot thereinwith two branches for the pin to move in, substantially as described andshown.

7. The combination with the gong, the solenoid and the verticallymovable core in the solenoid, of a circuit maker and breaker secured tothe lower end of said core and movable therewith, said circuit maker andbreaker consisting of a straight rod having different Widths, stationarycontacts insulated from each other t0 engage the circuit maker, a pinprojecting from one side of the said rod, and irregular guides for thepin to Work in, to oscillate the said rod to cause it to open and closethe circuit between the stationaryT contacts, a Wheel having teeth inits periphery, a detent engaging the teeth and provided With anadjustable Weight, a series of pins on one side of the Wheel, a pivotedtongue on the lower end of the core to engage the pins, and a spring tosupport the tongue substantially as described and shown.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

CHARLES B. STERLING. [L. sl 7Witnesses J. KENNEDY,

CHAs. D. DoNoHUE.

